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Izirians
Izirians are natives of Izir, the vast desert that makes up the majority of Estiel. he Izirian people can trace their origins to ancient times, where they claim to have been the first proper civilisation on Coryphiel. According to legend, the civilisations of Izir have been destroyed three times in the past by monsters, dragons, and the fabled three Harbingers of Desolation. Izirians are shrewd merchants, building enormous trade empires. Having lived in the heart of the desert for a long time, Izirians have some natural resistance to heat. Izirians are universally dark-skinned and dark haired. Regional Izirians Bronzebloods The "Bronzeblooded" people of Izir are native to the western part of the desert, close to the mountain border with Tyrrus. The largest city in this region is Alatheen, but many Bronzebloods prefer travelling the desert in trade caravans. Many Bronzebloods have bloodlines older than empires. Some can even trace their line back to the founding of Izero. The pedigree of one's family is a mark of privilege among upper class Bronzebloods. Bronzebloods have dark skin and hair, but lighter than in other regions of Izir, and most have orange eyes. Far Easterners The easternmost border of the world is a vast desert, occasionally broken by oases and rivers. The cities of Azakkad and Irikkad are the main settlements here.They are known for warrior prowess, and the greatest of the Izirian Mercenaries hail from this region. The Far Easterners are tall and have even darker skin than other Izirians. Their hair tends to be black and grows in tight curls. Ancients The Ancients are a people out of time. When the city of Izero was stuck into a time loop, and only brought out thousands of years later, it took the people of the city a while to catch up to modern events. The Ancients are a proud people, desperate to bring back the time of the Empire of Izero. They have ancient clothing and traditions, distinguishing them from other Izirians. The Ancients look similar to the Bronzebloods, except their eyes softly glow yellow. Scendrians The Scendrasil Shore is an oddly verdant part of the desert, due to the presence of the Scendrasil, the great tree of light. Most of the shore is either marshy floodplains or sweltering jungle. The Scendrian people were almost wiped out when their great city of Transcendence was destroyed, yet a small number remained. The Scendrians were forever changed from that moment, and over the course of a few generations their eyes gradually went from a bright yellow to a deep red. The people of the Scendrasil Shore have been practicing Forbidden Magic for longer than Tyrrus has existed, the Crimson Monastery near Transcendence is one of the most prestigious academies of this discipline of magic in the world. Scendrians are the most adept sailors of Izir, and many are pirates on the Shattered Sea. Azathicans Far, far to the east, beyond Azakkad, beyond Irikkad, beyond even the ruins of Ocathia, sits the cursed city of Azathica. The Azathicans dealt with powers they could not control and opened a yawning pit to the Abyss. Their home became shrouded in strange mists. The people were forever cursed to follow the orders of strange powers. Their skin turned to a deep purple, and their eyes became pure black. In Izir, it is bad luck to even whisper the name of this abhorred city Culture Izir's culture thrives off trade and commerce. They love the exchange of goods and all the negotiations and bartering that come of it. More than this, the Izirians love to make money. For the most part, they will trade anything, moral quandaries discarded. As such, Slavery is quite common. Izir is a fairly ruthless place, with no room for compassion or mercy. Generosity is unprofitable. If a sultan chooses kindness over money, they will fail to be competitive and will likely be destroyed by their enemies. The upper class of Izir revolves around ensuring that you are equal to or more powerful than anyone who might want you gone. Though heritage and family is respected in Izir, it is not an instant path to prosperity. Even a prince must be cautious of the machinations of their enemies, and must be intelligent and charismatic enough to command power and respect, and keep it. Law In Izir, laws only really apply to the poor and the weak. The exception is laws laid down by any of the Holy Orders. There is not much stopping one Cartel from attacking another in broad daylight, other than the fact this is usually unprofitable for both sides. It is not uncommon for an unheard-of person to gain control of a caravan, or even a whole Cartel, by killing the previous owners and enforcing their command. They are never reprimanded for this, and it is considered that if they are strong or smart enough to do this, they probably deserve it. The only thing keeping Izir from falling into absolute anarchy is trade, especially that of necessary resources. Fresh water and farmland are scarce, so whoever controls these has enough power to ensure everyone behaves themselves. Large caravans are needed to carry food and water across the desert to mining towns or ports, and bring back other resources. As such, Izir is kept stable by the cities relying on the caravans, and vice versa. Heritage The majority of Izir exists in an odd juxtaposition of respecting their history and stamping all over it. On the one hand, they work to maintain ancient relics and the tombs of past kings. On the other, many kings and sultans will actively send tomb raiders (known as reclaimers) to find artifacts from ancient times to add to their collections. The infamous Hoarder King of Alatheen, Shukrizah IV, had a vault so large it filled the majority of his palace, and reclaimers prospered so much during his reign that many retired to fortified Alkazabas and became minor Sultans. After his palace was collapsed by Ayla Vanderstone, many of these artefacts were lost. The Priests of Izir actively worked for many centuries to destroy or deface any shrines or temples of the Ancient Ones, the main pantheon of gods before Alshah's worship became prominent. Gender Inequality In Izir, there is a divide between men and women. Only men are allowed to be merchants, or priests, or viziers. Women are seen as being lesser, simply there to be owned by men and produce children. However, strangely, only women are allowed to learn Elemental magic. A woman who is lucky enough to learn such magic can find herself being treated as the equal of a man. Most mercenary organisations only accept men into their ranks, but some are more progressive and diverse. The Harpy's Talon company are an all-female mercenary group, known for their ferociousness in battle and for having a fierce rivalry with some of the more misogynist mercenary companies. Romance Marriage isn't really a thing in Izir. Relationships are informal. However, different classes are not allowed to enter relationships with one another; it would be scandalous if a Sultan consorted with a lower class worker. However, Slave Consorts are common for the upper class, and are treated like royalty, even if they are still slaves. The gender of one's spouse is irrelevant in Izir. Ranks and Titles In Izir, there is no middle class. Independent merchants are usually coerced into working for a a Cartel, and will then either rise through the ranks, or have most of their profits taken by their superiors. There are many different groups in Izir, and each have their own ranking system and titles. This can be confusing to diplomats or courtiers visiting Izir; does the Prince of Azakkad rank higher than an Alsultan? The truth is, it depends on context. While within Azakkad, the Prince ranks higher, but when in a caravan crossing the desert, the Alsultan ranks higher. Rank and respect depend highly in the location, or the subject of a negotiation or discussion. For example, a Vizier has more authority than a Priest when discussing scientific matters. Alshah's Holy Council ranks higher than anyone else in the Izir Confederacy. Merchant Ranks The lowest title in Izir is that of Sheikh, a minor caravan owner/slave driver. Sheikhs always work for a larger Cartel, and are usually under the direct command of an Alsultan. An Alsultan is a merchant lord who is wealthy, but still not independent. They work for a Sultan, representing their interests, and often accompanying a smaller caravan if its trade mission is important. The Sultans are some of the most powerful and rich people in Izir, running trade Cartels which transport goods across the desert. They are ruthless with each other, and consider all other Sultans to be their bitter rivals. The Arch-Sultan of Alshah's Holy Council is in charge of all Sultans in the Izir Confederacy, though he doesn't have direct or complete power. Nevertheless, he decides on trade laws, determines which nations should be traded with, and basically runs the economy. Royalty within some Izirian cities, kings still rule, and exercise complete power over their own city. The royalty of Izir despise giving power to anyone outside of their family, therefore the princes of the family are often put to use running various aspects of the city. Outside of their cities, Kings don't command nearly as much respect or power. The one exception to this is the King of Irikkad, who is a member of Alshah's Holy Council and considered to be higher ranking than other kings, even while in their cities. Priesthood In Izir, priests are wealthy and powerful. Entering the priesthood is not based on diligence or devoutness, but pursuit of success and wealth. Ruling the priests are the Caliphs, powerful religious figures with influence beyond that of some kings and sultans. the Arch-Caliph of Alshah's Holy Council is the supreme ruler of all Caliphs in the Izir Confederacy, and is said to be able to talk directly to Alshah. Mercenaries Izir has no standing military of its own, instead relying on the many mercenary organisations who ply their trade across the desert and beyond. Izirian mercenaries are considered to be some of the most elite mercenaries in the world. Different groups sometimes have their own ranking system, but there is a certain structure that is followed. smaller groups of mercenaries are lead by Agrazhars, who act as mercenary captains. Whole mercenary companies are ruled by Azhars. The Arch-Azhar of Alshah's Holy Council is in charge of the warfare of the nation, and although he isn't in direct control of Azhars, he is will respected and influential. Other There are many groups and organisations in Izir which have just as much respect and power. Viziers (lead by a Grand Vizier) are the academic authority in Izir. They are educated and knowledgeable about science, engineering, alchemy, magic, and many other areas of study. They are trusted advisors of the rulers of Izir. Daughters of the Desert are an all-female order of elemental mages. In Izir, only women are allowed to learn elemental magic, and the Daughters of the Desert teach this. They are instrumental in warfare and valuable advisors The monks of the Crimson Monastery are excellent doctors and practitioners of Forbidden Magic. Many Izirians find them unnerving, but they are an invaluable resource. Izeroan Ranks Izero is ruled by an Emperor, who is considered the supreme ruler of the city. However, other than that, the empire is far less class-centric than the rest of Izir. It follows most of the same ranking systems, excepts the priests have a lot less power, and the city has a standing military instead of relying on mercenaries. Izero The exception to these rules is the city of Izero, which still adheres to the ancient traditions of Izir, before worship of Alshah took over and before the Cartels gained so much power. As such, in Izero, slavery does not exist and the government is kind to its subjects. The Izeroan people despise the use of slaves. Izero does not have the strength or wealth of the Izir Confederacy, but they bear ancient magics and magical artifacts that have not lost their power like the items hoarded by the kings of Izir. In Izir, all people are allowed and encouraged to learn magic, it is not restricted by gender or class.